


How To Win a Priest Back

by HipsterIzzy



Series: Take Me To Church [5]
Category: Borderlands (Video Games)
Genre: Angst, Jack fucks up, M/M, Modern AU, Priest AU, and because he's jealous, because he has a temper
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-11
Updated: 2017-04-10
Packaged: 2018-10-17 11:36:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,332
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10593225
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HipsterIzzy/pseuds/HipsterIzzy
Summary: Rhys confesses to a previous crush and Jack overreacts.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I'm planning to go a little more in depth with their backgrounds in this part of the AU. But also, in general, these two can never have an easy-peasy time of anything. I'm also possibly going to switch POV as it goes? Possibly? Because mostly, stories centered around them have been from Jack's POV. I'm also open to ideas? Or constructive criticism? ;w;

When Jack had woken up with Rhys still in his bed that morning, he’d smiled and gently stroked the priest’s hair. It was the first time Rhys had dared to spend the night. The pair had grown close lately, close enough that Jack was considering calling it “official” and referring to Rhys as his boyfriend (as opposed to “my totally hot date” and making lewd hand motions). He never would’ve guessed that half an hour later, he’d be ready to strangle the kid until his eyes popped out.

He had been about two seconds from introducing the younger man to the joys of lazy morning sex. They’d been making out, Rhys straddling the CEO and rolling his hips down teasingly. But when Rhys pulled back from the kiss, for some reason, the priest had felt the need to completely shatter any illusions Jack had about the nature of their relationship.

“I can’t believe I was only interested in you because of your brother~”

That’s all Jack heard, anyways. His expression must’ve immediately melted into seething rage, because whatever the young man was going to say next died in his throat. The two stayed silent for a moment, Rhys still awkwardly perched atop the older man.

“Jack..?” Rhys was the one to break the silence, voice trembling. “Jack, what’s wrong? C'mon, talk to me, handsome.”

“Get. Out.” It was a low growl, fury boiling in the pit of his stomach. When the priest didn’t move, he repeated himself a bit louder. “Get out!”

“B-but, Jack, I–”

“Are you _deaf_? Get out, Gallagher!” His words were a hiss now, but it seemed to get the kid moving. He scrambled off of Jack, nearly falling off the bed in his haste to put distance between them. The priest’s eyes were wide, tears brimming on the edge. And Jack knew that the rational thing to do would be to hear Rhys out, listen to the rest of what he’d been trying to say.

But oh, was Jack pissed. To find out that the past three months had all been because the priest had seen him as the next best thing to his own twin had been a massive blow. Sure, they were identical twins, but he and Timothy were _nothing_ alike. Jack hated being compared to his twin. The need to differentiate himself had been a large factor in his success as a CEO. To have this little twink believe he’s _settling_ for Jack…

In his blind rage, Jack had gotten up and stalked over to the lanky man cowering against the wall. He leaned in, a firm hand gripping a thin shoulder tight enough to hurt, and growled, “You put your clothes on and get the hell out of my building. Don’t even think about coming back, ‘cause I’ll make sure nobody’s around to give you last rights.”

“Jack, please…” It was the worst sound he’d heard in ages, the kid’s voice soaked in fear and cracking under the strain of a breaking heart. He was sobbing now, fat tears rolling down his cheeks and dripping onto his bare chest. Jack was tempted to pull Rhys into his arms and wipe his face, tell him everything was okay, lay him down and stroke his hair until they both drifted back to sleep. But the way Rhys had looked just speaking Timothy’s name made Jack’s stomach turn. He let go of the smaller man, giving him a look of disdain.

“You disgust me.”

He took care to choose that phrase, remembering how Rhys’s family had sent him away for who he loved. His own stupid heart could go to hell. He didn’t need the kid. He didn’t need anybody. He was Handsome goddamn Jack. Without another sound, Rhys stepped away from the wall and hastily dressed himself. Within a minute, Jack was alone again, and that was just fine.

Except that it wasn’t fine. Jack stood staring at the empty space the kid had left behind for about ten seconds before putting his fist through the drywall.

*****

Later that day, after Jack had finally calmed down a bit, there was a knock at his door. Jack already knew it was his twin, because anybody else would’ve had to buzz up to be allowed to ride up to his floor. He put on his most charismatic smile before opening the door and greeting Tim. Er, trying to greet him, anyways. His carbon-copy pushed right past him, folding his arms over his chest and glaring at Jack as he closed the door.

“What the _hell_ did you do to him?”

How did Tim know? Maybe he didn’t, maybe Jack could play innocent. “'Him’ who, pumpkin~?”

Tim closed the distance between them in a flash, gripping a fistful of Jack’s tshirt and shoving him back against the door. “Jack Lawrence, don’t you _dare_ play dumb with me. _What did you do to Rhys_?”

So he did know…Jack wasn’t ready to give in just yet, though. He glared right back at Tim, voice full of venom. “What’s it matter to you? You’re married now. Unless that’s some kind of front, and you’ve been sneaking around behind dear Wilhelm’s back.” Jack grinned again, thinking he’d found a weak spot. That grin was quickly wiped away with another shove to the door.

“It matters because, of all the people that don’t deserve to be destroyed by you, he tops the list. He trusted you, he had faith that you were worth the risk, and you threw it in his face. Jesus, Jack, I felt like I was confessing to a corpse!” Tim had let go of Jack’s collar to pace in front of him. “He was so happy before today, so ridiculously full of life. What did you _do_?”

“I told the little creep to get out, because I’m not anyone’s second choice,” Jack said indifferently. Now that he was free of Tim’s grip, he moved past Tim to head to the kitchen. “You want some late lunch?”

He didn’t see it, but the tone of Tim’s sigh told Jack that his twin had rolled his eyes. “You know, it’s not like he planned anything malicious. So what if the kid had a crush on me before he met you? We’re nearly identical, except for that gray streak. So maybe it was a superficial thing. _At first_. You’re nothing like me, and he would’ve figured that one out almost immediately. If he stuck around or indulged you beyond the wedding reception, it’s because he likes you.”

Jack turned to stare at his twin, both men’s mouths a hard line. They stayed that way for a couple of minutes. All the while, Jack thought over the past three months. Tim was the one to break the silence.

“I don’t know exactly what happened, and I don’t want to, because it’s really between the two of you. But I do know that you have a temper and a short fuse. So whatever you did, I hope it’s forgivable, because he’s not the only one I’d seen a positive change in lately.” With that, Tim left Jack alone in his kitchen to ponder those thoughts.

Jack wasn’t one for second chances, but the heavy feeling in his gut told him that there’s a first time for everything. Unfortunately, Jack also wasn’t very good at apologizing. He went through the motions of lunch, making it and eating it in a daze, as he thought over the perfect way to make up what he’d done that morning. He’d scared the priest pretty badly. Hell, he’d punched a hole in his wall, and a tiny part of him still wished he’d gotten to punch Rhys’s face. And the things he’d _said_ …He knew the kid’s backstory, how his parents had been so ashamed of him, so unaccepting…This was gonna take more than a fancy flower arrangement…

Jack was gonna have to dig deep, he knew, but he figured a bouquet would still be a nice start.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much for reading! Comments and kudos are greatly appreciated!


End file.
